EP0198604A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Glow discharge deposition apparatus having confined plasma region
Assignee: Energy Conversion Devices Inc
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Filing: 1986-03-17
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-03-17
Abstract
Abstract ©7 Apparatus for confining an ionized plasma developed during glow discharge deposition of thin film semiconductor alloy material to a preselected plasma region to deposit homogeneous semiconductor alloy material and to prevent etching of previously deposited semiconductor material. The apparatus (26) includes elongated plates (7a) disposed at ends of a cathode (34) in a deposition chamber (32). The plates are negatively biased during the deposition process to repel electrons in and thereby confine the plasma.
Inventors
- 👤 Joachim Doehler
- 👤 Masatsugu Izu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 13:48
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/32431; H01J37/32623; C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/44; C23C16/50; C23C16/517; C23C16/54; H01J37/32697; H01J37/32733; H01J37/32752; H01J37/32761; H01J37/3277
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
90 words
A glow discharge deposition apparatus (26) for depositing layers of semiconductor alloy material on a substrate (11), the deposition apparatus comprising a deposition chamber (32) containing an elongated cathode (34) having opposed leading and trailing edges, and having entrance and exit ports for passing a web substrate (11) through said chamber spaced from said cathode (34) to define a plasma region (A) between said substrate and cathode, characterized in that means (7) for substantially confining the plasma to a preselected portion of the plasma region are disposed in said chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
90 words
A glow discharge deposition apparatus (26) for depositing layers of semiconductor alloy material on a substrate (11), the deposition apparatus comprising a deposition chamber (32) containing an elongated cathode (34) having opposed leading and trailing edges, and having entrance and exit ports for passing a web substrate (11) through said chamber spaced from said cathode (34) to define a plasma region (A) between said substrate and cathode, characterized in that means (7) for substantially confining the plasma to a preselected portion of the plasma region are disposed in said chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 1 characterized in that said plasma confinement means comprises an electrically energizable member (7a) disposed proximate each of said leading and trailing edges of said cathode.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 2 characterized in that each energizable member is elongated and extends along substantially the entire width of the proximate edge of the cathode.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 2 characterized in that each of said energizable members comprises a plate (7a) mounted to and electrically insulated from said chamber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 4 characterized in that each of said plates includes a layer of electrically insulating material (61) and a contigious electrically conducting layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 2 characterized in that each of said energizable members is disposed between said substrate and one of said leading and trailing edges of said cathode.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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